Animal education and control

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​​​What we do

​Dog control and wandering livestock

The Animal Education and Control Team is responsible for managing and controlling dogs and livestock in Hamilton city and its surrounds. This includes providing dog registration and microchipping services as well as responding to issues in relation to stray dogs, barking dogs and/or concerns about unwanted dog behaviour. Our team also provides education about caring for dogs and dog safety and holds community events for people and their dogs to attend - for example, Paws in the Pool​. We also respond to issues related to wandering stock.

Feral cats and possum trap hire

The Waikato Regional Council (WRC) is the organisation with the key responsibility for controlling pest animals within the Waikato region, including Hamilton city - see 'what others do​' below for details.

However, our Animal Education and Control Team assists WRC with its pest control activities by hiring out traps for catching feral cats and possums to Hamilton city residents. We can also provide advice on how to use these humanely and we provide a disposal service for any live animals you may catch in our hire traps​.​​

Costs for hire are noted on our fees and charges list here. Note that it is your responsibility to appropriately dispose of any animal you catch. ​​

​What others do

​Animal welfare and cruelty issues - SPCA

While we don't ignore these issues when our team comes acr​oss them as part of their activities, the main organisation equipped to deal with animal welfare and cruelty issues is the SPCA. We work closely with the SPCA where their work and ours overlaps, however if you want to report animal neglect or abuse, please in the first instance please use contact the Waikato SPCA - phone 07 847 4868. If you live outside Hamilton city and its surrounds, use this list to contact your local SPCA​ in the region.

​Pest animal control and management

The control of animal pests (for example, for feral cats, possums, rats, deer, stoats etc) is managed by the Waikato Regional Council's Biosecurity Team. They deal with pest plant and pest animal issues throughout the Waikato region - contact details here. Their website also has a wide range of information about dealing with pest animals​, including free factsheets.

However, if you need to hire a live catch cage to catch a feral cat or possum on your property, you are welcome to get in touch with us to do this. See feral cats and possum traps above for details.

Find us/contact us

Our Animal Education and Control Centre (including our kennels) is open seven days a week (see opening hours below). We are available by phone 24/7- see below. You can also email us - although for urgent enquiries, it's best to phone us first.